Air Conditioning System

ABSTRACT

An air conditioning system includes at least a magnetic disc disposed in parallel along a rotary shaft thereof, permanent magnets installed within rotational radii of the respective magnetic discs, and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic disc rotating within a predetermined section, a heat exchanger for heating installed on a side of the permanent magnets, and having at least a heat radiation fin, and a heat exchanger for cooling installed on a side opposite the permanent magnets, and having at least a heat absorption fin. The air conditioning system has a simple structure, is safe from the fear of environmental pollution, and is suitable for a next-generation air conditioning system to be applied to a hybrid or electric automobile because it does not use engine heat or a refrigerant

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Korean Application No.10-2008-0056262, filed on Jun. 16, 2008, the entire contents of which isincorporated herein by this reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general to an air conditioning systemand, more particularly, to an air conditioning system for a motorvehicle using a magnetocaloric effect,

(2) Description of the Related Art

A magnetocaloric effect refers to a phenomenon that the temperature of aferromagnetic material is increased when a strong magnetic field isapplied to the ferromagnetic material on the outside, while thetemperature of the ferromagnetic material is decreased when the magneticfield is eliminated.

This magnetocaloric effect results from an entropy conservation law. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, when a ferromagnetic material 1 is magnetized bya magnetic field generated from an external magnetic object 2, theferromagnetic material is subjected to spin alignment reduction inmagnetic entropy, increase in atomic lattice entropy (increase invibration of an atomic lattice) according to a total entropyconservation law, and generation of heat. In contrast, when the magneticfield applied to the ferromagnetic material 1 is eliminated, theferromagnetic material is subjected to reduction in the atomic latticeentropy, and thus the temperature of the ferromagnetic material isdecreased.

Meanwhile, in the case of a current air conditioning system for a motorvehicle, the heat from an engine is used for heating an interior of themotor vehicle. However, due to a fear of oil exhaustion andenvironmental pollution, many efforts are made to develop a hybridautomobile or an electric automobile in various countries around theworld. Thus, there is a practical need to displace the conventionalheating system of the motor vehicle using the engine heat with anothersystem. Further, in order to cool the interior of the motor vehicle, anammonia-based gas called R-134a is mainly used. This refrigerant incursenvironmental issues such as disruption of an ozone layer, and requiresmany additional devices such as a compressor, a condenser, a refrigerantpipe, a heater hose, and so on. As such, it is absolutely need todevelop a so-called magnetic air conditioning system using themagnetocaloric effect from the viewpoint of reduction in cost and weightand environmental conservation.

The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section isonly for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventionand should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestionthat this information forms the prior art that is already known to aperson skilled in the art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, various embodiments of the present invention has been madekeeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art and anobject of the present invention is to provide a an air conditioningsystem, particularly for a motor vehicle, using a magnetocaloric effectwhich has no chance of environmental pollution and does not requireadditional devices.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided anair conditioning system, which may comprise: at least a magnetic discdisposed in parallel along a rotary shaft thereof, magnets installedwithin rotational radii of the respective magnetic discs, and applyingmagnetic fields to the magnetic disc, wherein the magnet is fixed; aheat exchanger for heating installed on a side of the magnets, andhaving at least a heat radiation fin; and a heat exchanger for coolinginstalled on a side opposite the magnets, and having at least a heatabsorption fin. The magnet may be a permanent magnet, superconductivemagnet or an electromagnet. The magnetic disc may be made of aferromagnetic material. The rotary shaft may be configured to move in anaxial direction thereof and thereby a desired air conditioningtemperature can be controlled through adjusting magnetic flux density ofthe magnet.

Magnetic object pairs may be installed on the upper and lowercircumference of the magnetic disc corresponding to the magnet. Therotary shaft is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined angleand thus an area where the magnetic object pairs face the magnet can beadjusted by rotating the magnetic disc around the rotary shaft.

According to another aspect of the present invention, at least onemagnetic object pair may be installed on an outer circumference of themagnetic disc in a diagonal direction thereof and at least one pair ofthe magnets is spaced apart from the magnetic object pair, and applyingmagnetic fields to the magnetic object pair within a predeterminedangle, wherein the magnetic disc is configured to be able to reciprocatein an axial direction thereof.

At least one magnetic object pair may be installed on an outercircumference of the magnetic disc in a diagonal direction thereof andat least one pair of the magnets is spaced apart from the magneticobject pair, and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic object pairwithin a predetermined angle, wherein the magnetic disc is configured tobe able to rotate around the rotary shaft thereof at a predeterminedangle.

A heating channel and a cooling channel may be partitioned by apartition wherein the heat exchanger for heating is disposed on theheating channel, and the heat exchanger for cooling is disposed on thecooling channel. A common fan may be installed upstream the heatexchangers in order to ventilate both the heating channel and thecooling channel, wherein the partition downstream the heat exchangersincludes a temperature door. Fans may be installed upstream the heatexchangers in order to feed air each heat exchanger.

According to another aspect of the present invention an air conditioningsystem may comprise at least a hollow magnetic disc configured torotate; magnets installed within rotational radii of the respectivemagnetic discs, and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic disc,wherein the magnets are fixed, an adiabatic partition installed in eachmagnetic disc so as not to be rotated together with each magnetic disc,and partitioning an interior of each magnetic disc into a space of amagnet side and a space opposite the magnet side; a heating channelcausing a fluid to be fed into the magnetic discs, to pass through themagnet side, and to exchange heat at a heat exchanger for heating; and acooling channel causing a fluid to be fed into the magnetic discs, topass through a side opposite the magnet side, and to exchange heat at aheat exchanger for cooling. The magnet may be a permanent magnetsuperconductive magnet or an electromagnet. The magnetic disc may bemade of a ferromagnetic material.

At least one magnetic object pair may be installed on an outercircumference of the magnetic disc in a diagonal direction thereof andat least a pair of magnets is spaced apart from the magnetic objectpair, and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic object pair within apredetermined angle, wherein the magnetic disc is configured to be ableto reciprocate in an axial direction thereof. At least one magneticobject pair may be installed on an outer circumference of the magneticdisc in a diagonal direction thereof and at least a pair of magnets isspaced apart from the magnetic object pair, and applying magnetic fieldsto the magnetic object pair within a predetermined angle, wherein themagnetic disc is configured to be able to rotate around the rotary shaftthereof at a predetermined angle.

According to a further aspect of the present invention an airconditioning system may comprise: a movable cylinder configured toreciprocate in an axial direction thereof; at least one magnetic objectpair installed on an outer circumference of the movable cylinder in adiagonal direction; and at least one permanent magnet pair spaced apartfrom the magnetic object pair, and applying magnetic fields to themagnetic object pair within a predetermined section, wherein an areawhere the magnetic object pair faces the permanent magnet pair isadjusted by rotating the movable cylinder around a shaft thereof at apredetermined angle.

As apparent from the above description, the air conditioning system issafe from the fear of environmental pollution, has a simple structure,and does not require additional devices to reduce costs.

Further, the air conditioning system is suitable for a next-generationair conditioning system to be applied to a hybrid or electric automobilebecause it does not use engine heat or a refrigerant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other features of the present invention will now bedescribed in detail with reference to certain exemplary embodimentsthereof illustrated the accompanying drawings which are givenhereinbelow by way of illustration, and thus are not limitative of thepresent invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view explaining theory of a magnetocaloric effect;

FIG. 2 is an perspective view explaining the basic configuration of anair conditioning system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the ling A-A ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view explaining a method of adjusting atemperature of the air conditioning system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates an application of the air conditioning system of FIG.2;

FIG. 6 illustrates another application of the air conditioning system ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 7 illustrates another air conditioning system in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 8 illustrates another air conditioning system in accordance withthe present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a top plan view illustrating the air conditioning system ofFIG. 8.

It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarilyto scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of variouspreferred features illustrative of the basic principles of theinvention. The specific design features of the present invention asdisclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions,orientations, locations, and shapes will be determined in part by theparticular intended application and use environment.

In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or equivalent partsof the present invention throughout the several figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in greater detail to an air conditioningsystem according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention withreference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the samereference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and thedescription to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an air conditioning system according to thefirst embodiment has an air-cooled structure in which a permanent magnet20 is installed on one side of each rotary magnetic disc 10, eachmagnetic disc 10 absorbs or radiates heat according to a rotating anglethereof, and this heat heats or cools air introduced from the outside bymeans of heat exchangers 30 and 40.

The magnetic discs 10 are disposed in parallel along a rotary shaft 11,has the shape of an annular ring, the central portion of which is open.The central portion of each magnetic disc 10 is provided with acrisscross frame such that the magnetic discs 10 can share the rotaryshaft 11 with each other. This magnetic disc 10 is made of aferromagnetic material showing a strong magnetocaloric effect at anapproximately room temperature. One example of the ferromagneticmaterial includes gadolinium, which is a rare-earth metal having highmagnetic susceptibility, or a GdSiGe based mixture.

Each permanent magnet 20 is installed within a rotational radius of eachmagnetic disc 10, and thus applies a magnetic field to each magneticdisc 10 rotating within a predetermined section. Each permanent magnet20 is provided with a receiving slot opposite sides of which serves as Nand S poles of each permanent magnet 20. Each rotary magnetic disc 10,which is located in the receiving slot of each permanent magnet 20,intersects the magnetic field of each permanent magnet 20 at a rightangle. Preferably, the magnitude of the magnetic field applied to eachmagnetic disc 10 by each permanent magnet 20 must be more than 2 tesla.Alternatively, a superconductive magnet or an electromagnet may benaturally used instead of the permanent magnet 20.

The heat exchangers are made up of the heat exchanger 30 for heating andthe heat exchanger 40 for cooling. The heat exchanger 30 for heating isinstalled on the side of the permanent magnets 20, and includes at leasta heat radiation fin 31. The heat exchanger 40 for cooling is installedon the side opposite the heat exchanger 30 for heating, and includes atleast a heat absorption fin 41. Parts of the rotary magnetic discs 10,which are introduced into and heated inside the receiving slots of thepermanent magnets 20, radiate heat through the beat exchanger 30 forheating, and other parts, which come out of and is cooled outside thereceiving slots, absorb heat from the heat exchanger 40 for cooling.

A method of adjusting temperature of the air conditioning system will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 4. Magnetic flux density is a littledifferent depending on a position in the receiving slot of eachpermanent magnet 20.

In detail, the magnetic flux density is relatively high in the proximityof the N pole or the S pole, whereas it is somewhat low between the Npole and the S pole. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 4, if the rotary shaft11 of the magnetic discs 10 is adapted to be able to move in an axialdirection thereof and then to adjust an amount of intersecting magneticflux of the magnetic discs 10, the temperature of the air conditioningsystem can be adjusted. In the case of the permanent magnets, theintensity of the magnetic field cannot be arbitrarily adjusted. However,the aforementioned method makes it possible to control the temperature,particularly to adjust a desired air-conditioning temperature. Invarious embodiments, the air conditioning system may have a structure inwhich at least one magnetic object pair (not shown) is installed on theupper and lower circumference of the rotary magnetic disc 10corresponding to the permanent magnet 20. Accordingly, as the rotarymagnetic disc 10 is rotated around the rotary shaft 11 with apredetermined angle, an area where the magnetic object pair faces thepermanent magnet 20 can be adjusted and thus a desired air conditioningtemperature can be adjusted through adjustment of an amount at which thepermanent magnet 20 intersects magnetic flux.

An application of the aforementioned air conditioning system will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the air conditioning system includes a heatingchannel and a cooling channel, which are partitioned by a partition 61.The heat exchanger 30 for heating is assigned to the heating channel,whereas the heat exchanger 40 for cooling is assigned to the coolingchannel. A common fan 50 is installed upstream the heat exchangers 30and 40 in order to ventilate both the heating channel and the coolingchannel, and a temperature door 70 is installed on the partitiondownstream the heat exchangers 30 and 40. Alternatively, the temperaturedoor 70 may be installed upstream the heat exchangers 30 and 40. In thiscase, the air flowing through the heating channel and the air flowingthrough the cooling channel are mixed with each other from the viewpointof air flow. A reference number 60, which has not been yet described,indicates a case corresponding to a conventional heating ventilation andair conditioning (HVAC) housing.

Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the fans 50 may be separatelyinstalled upstream the heat exchangers 30 and 40. In this case, thetemperature door 70 is removed.

Unlike the air-cooled type described above, the air conditioning systemof various embodiments may be designed in a water-cooled type.

Referring to FIG. 7, the exemplary air conditioning system is similar tothat described above in that a permanent magnet 200 for applying amagnetic field is installed on one side of each magnetic disc 200rotated around a rotary shaft 201 in a predetermined angle, but it isdifferent from that described above in that each magnetic disc 200 has ahollow structure without opening the central portion thereof.

As for an internal structure of each magnetic disc 200, an inner wall ofeach hollow magnetic disc 200 is provided with a casing 210, whichprevents contact with water and has good heat transferability. Thecasing 210 is provided therein with an adiabatic partition 220. Avertical part of the adiabatic partition 220 partitions an interior ofthe casing 210 into two spaces, one of which is located on the side of apermanent magnet and the other on the side opposite the permanentmagnet. A horizontal part of the adiabatic partition 220 increases aheat transfer contact area between a fluid flowing in the casing 210.

Meanwhile, the magnetic disc 200 and its casing 210 are rotated togetheraround the rotary shaft 201, but the adiabatic partition 220 is notrotated together, namely is fixed. Part of the rotary magnetic disc 200which is located on the side of the permanent magnet 230 alwaysgenerates heat, and the opposite part always absorbs heat. Thus, in thecase in which the adiabatic partition 220 is fixed despite the rotationof the magnetic disc 200, water is allowed to flow only to the permanentmagnet (i.e. heating channel) inside the magnetic disc during heatingoperation, and to flow only the opposite side (i.e. cooling channel)during cooling operation. Of course, because the magnetic disc 200 isrotated relative to the adiabatic partition 220, the water may beinfiltrated from the heating channel to the cooling channel or viceversa through a gap between the adiabatic partition 220 and the magneticdisc 200, more particularly between the adiabatic partition 220 and thecasing 210.

As described above, the magnetic flux density is relatively high in theproximity of the N pole or the S pole, whereas it is somewhat lowbetween the N pole and the S pole. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 7, ifthe rotary shaft 201 of the magnetic discs 200 is adapted to be able tomove in an axial direction thereof, and then to adjust an amount ofintersecting magnetic flux of the magnetic discs 200, the temperature ofthe air conditioning system can be adjusted. In another aspect the airconditioning system of various exemplary embodiments may have astructure in which at least one magnetic object pair (not shown) isinstalled on the upper and lower circumference of the magnetic disc 200corresponding to the permanent magnet 230. The magnetic disc 200 can berotated around the rotary shaft 201 in a predetermined angle. Since anarea where the magnetic object pair faces the permanent magnet 230 canbe adjusted by rotating the magnetic disc 200 around the rotary shaft201 at the predetermined angle, a desired air conditioning temperaturecan be adjusted.

In this manner, the hot water having passed through the heating channelin the magnetic disc 200 radiates heat at the heat exchanger forheating, and then flows into a pump, while the cold water having passedthrough the cooling channel absorbs heat at the heat exchanger forcooling, and then flows into the pump. The pump circulates the wateralong each channel again.

Unlike the exemplary embodiments described above, the ferromagneticmaterial of the magnetic disc may be configured to reciprocate withrespect to the permanent magnet.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the air conditioning system of variousembodiments may have a structure in which at least one magnetic objectpair 110 is installed on the outer circumference of a movable cylinder100, i.e., a magnetic disc, configured to reciprocate in an axialdirection thereof, and in which at least one permanent magnet pair 120is installed outside the magnetic object pair 10 corresponding to themagnetic object pair 110. The magnetic object pair 110 is installed onthe outer circumference of the movable cylinder 100 in a diagonaldirection, and the permanent magnet pair 120 is spaced apart from themagnetic object pair 110, and applies a magnetic field to the otherpermanent magnet pair 120 through a portion of the magnetic object pair110 which reciprocates along the axial direction of the movable cylinder100 as the movable cylinder 100 moves along its axial direction whichchanges the magnetic flux density.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the movable cylinder 100 can berotated around a central shaft 101 in a predetermined angle. Thus, anarea where the magnetic object pair 110 faces the permanent magnet pair120 can be adjusted by rotating the movable cylinder 100 around thecentral shaft 101 at a predetermined angle. Thereby, a desired airconditioning temperature can be adjusted. As described above, the airconditioning temperature is controlled through adjustment of an amountat which the magnetic object pair 10 intersects magnetic flux.

The heat exchange and circulation of the air conditioning system ofvarious embodiments can be varied on the basis of the aforementionedembodiments and any well-known technology.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art willappreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions arepossible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas disclosed in the accompanying claims.

1. An air conditioning system comprising: at least a magnetic discdisposed in parallel along a rotary shaft thereof; at least a magnetinstalled within a rotational radii of the respective magnetic discs,and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic disc, wherein the magnet isfixed; a heat exchanger for heating installed on a side of the magnets,and having at least a heat radiation fin; and a heat exchanger forcooling installed on a side opposite the magnets, and having at least aheat absorption fin.
 2. The air conditioning system as set forth inclaim 1, wherein at least one magnet is a permanent magnet,superconductive magnet or an electromagnet
 3. The air conditioningsystem as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one magnetic disc ismade of a ferromagnetic material.
 4. The air conditioning system as setforth in claim 1, wherein the rotary shaft is configured to move in anaxial direction thereof whereby a desired air conditioning temperaturecan be controlled through adjusting magnetic flux density of the magnet.5. The air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein magneticobject pairs are installed on the upper and lower circumference of themagnetic disc corresponding to the magnet.
 6. The air conditioningsystem as set forth in claim 5, wherein the rotary shaft is configuredto be rotatable within a predetermined angle whereby an area where themagnetic object pairs face the magnet can be adjusted by rotating themagnetic disc around the rotary shaft.
 7. The air conditioning system asset forth in claim 1, wherein at least one magnetic object pair isinstalled on an outer circumference of the magnetic disc in a diagonaldirection thereof and at least one pair of the magnets is spaced apartfrom the magnetic object pair, and applying magnetic fields to themagnetic object pair within a predetermined angle, wherein the magneticdisc is configured to be able to reciprocate in an axial directionthereof.
 8. The air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, whereinat least one magnetic object pair is installed on an outer circumferenceof the magnetic disc in a diagonal direction thereof and at least onepair of the magnets is spaced apart from the magnetic object pair, andapplying magnetic fields to the magnetic object pair within apredetermined angle, wherein the magnetic disc is configured to be ableto rotate around the rotary shaft thereof at a predetermined angle. 9.The air conditioning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprisinga heating channel and a cooling channel that are partitioned by apartition, wherein the heat exchanger for heating is disposed on theheating channel, and the heat exchanger for cooling is disposed on thecooling channel.
 10. The air conditioning system as set forth in claim9, further comprising a common fan installed upstream the heatexchangers in order to ventilate both the heating channel and thecooling channel, wherein the partition downstream the heat exchangersincludes a temperature door.
 11. The air conditioning system as setforth in claim 9, further comprising fans installed upstream the heatexchangers in order to feed air each heat exchanger.
 12. An airconditioning system comprising: at least a hollow magnetic discconfigured to rotate; magnets installed within rotational radii of therespective magnetic discs, and applying magnetic fields to the magneticdisc, wherein the magnets are fixed; an adiabatic partition installed ineach magnetic disc so as not to be rotated together with each magneticdisc, and partitioning an interior of each magnetic disc into a space ofa magnet side and a space opposite the magnet side; a heating channelcausing a fluid to be fed into the magnetic discs, to pass through themagnet side, and to exchange heat at a heat exchanger for heating; and acooling channel causing a fluid to be fed into the magnetic discs, topass through a side opposite the magnet side, and to exchange heat at aheat exchanger for cooling.
 13. The air conditioning system as set forthin claim 12, wherein the magnet is a permanent magnet superconductivemagnet or an electromagnet.
 14. The air conditioning system as set forthin claim 12, wherein the magnetic disc is made of a ferromagneticmaterial.
 15. The air conditioning system as set forth in claim 12,wherein at least one magnetic object pair is installed on an outercircumference of the magnetic disc in a diagonal direction thereof andat least a pair of magnets is spaced apart from the magnetic objectpair, and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic object pair within apredetermined angle, wherein the magnetic disc is configured to be ableto reciprocate in an axial direction thereof.
 16. The air conditioningsystem as set forth in claim 12, wherein at least one magnetic objectpair is installed on an outer circumference of the magnetic disc in adiagonal direction thereof and at least a pair of magnets is spacedapart from the magnetic object pair, and applying magnetic fields to themagnetic object pair within a predetermined angle, wherein the magneticdisc is configured to be able to rotate around the rotary shaft thereofat a predetermined angle.
 17. An air conditioning system comprising: amovable cylinder configured to reciprocate in an axial directionthereof; at least one magnetic object pair installed on an outercircumference of the movable cylinder in a diagonal direction; and atleast one permanent magnet pair spaced apart from the magnetic objectpair, and applying magnetic fields to the magnetic object pair within apredetermined section, wherein an area where the magnetic object pairfaces the permanent magnet pair is adjusted by rotating the movablecylinder around a shaft thereof at a predetermined angle.